Canning device



E. W. T. MAZARS.

CANNING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24, 1920.

1,370,336. Patented. Mar. 1, 1921.

Fi l

' Inn/911K51 Emily Mazars;

'ClWw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CANNING nnvion.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

Application filed February 24, 1920. Serial No. 361,052. i

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EMILY WV. T. MAzAns, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Sufiield, in the countyof Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Canning Devices, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact specification.

In putting up fruitand other vegetable products in glass jars, it iscustomary to have a glass top fastened upon the mouth of the ar by meansof wire clamping means, a rubber washer being introduced between the topand the edge of the jar-mouth. It is the practice, after filling thejar, to apply the washer and top, partially fasten the top in place bymeans of part of the wire clamp, and then to stand them in a kettle ofwater and subject to boiling for several hours until thoroughlysterilized; after which the top is tightly clamped on.

During this sterilizing process, the rubber bands frequently are forcedout from between the top and jar until they are almost hanging from thejar and cannot make an air-tight seal. Consequently, the top must beremoved, a new rubber band substituted, and the'sterilizing done overagain.

The object of this invention is the construction of means whereby therubber band can be largely protected from the injurious effect of thesterilizing heat, and also confined in place until the canning processhas been completed. To this end I have provided a metal band made moreor less heatresisting, and adapted to inclose the protruding edge of therubber band against the action of steam and hot water.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1is an elevation of the upper part of a glass jar and top, showing itsrubber washer protected by a device embodying my invention, the samebeing in section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of one form of the protector.Fig. 3 is a plan view of another form thereof. Fig. 4 is a plan view ofstill another form of the same. Fig. 5 is a cross section of theprotector on an enlarged scale.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates a glass jar of wellknown form, having a neck 2, and a removable top 3, a rubber washer 4,and wire clamping device 5. The protector 6 consists of a metal annulus,preferably resilient, and made crescent-shaped in cross section.

In the form of the device illustrated in Fig. 2, it is held in placeabout the rubber washer by its own resiliency, but in the other twoforms it. is mechanically fastened together, either by means of thewell-known buckle '7 shown in Fig. 3, or by means of one or more stovebolts 8, as in Fig. 4.

The edges and outer surface of this annulus are covered by a felt orfabric tape 9 confined thereto by being gripped by the bent in edges ofthe metal, as shown in Fig. 5.

The device is used in the following manner: The jar having been filled,and the washer and top applied thereto, the protector annulus 6 isclasped about the washer, the projecting edges of the latter enteringthe concavity of theannulus whose fabriccovered edges rest against thetop and neck of the jar.- One of the two wire sections of the clampingdevice 5,the one which serves as the clamping lever,-is then brought upover the top 3, and the jar inserted in the sterilizer kettle. Duringthis action, the fit of the fabric-covered edges 10 against the glass ofthe jar-neck 2 and top 3 serves to keep the hot water and steam fromreaching the rubber washer 4, while the fabric upon the exposed surfaceof the annulus keeps the heat from. striking through and acting upon thewasher. Not only does this save the rubber washer from deteriorationfrom the heat, but at the same time it confines the washer in place sothat it cannot be forced out from under the top.

The sterilizing having been finished, the jar is removed from thekettle, the other wire of the clamp 5 turned up over the top 3, and thelever portion forced down to clamp the top firmly in place. Then theannulus 6 is pulled out from between the clamping wire and the jar-neck.

If the protector annulus is of the forms shown in Figs. 3 and 4, it is,of course, necessary first to unfasten the buckle 7, or unscrew one orboth the stove bolts 8.

Thus protected, the rubber washers will be preserved from injury anddisplacement, and .the work of canning fruit and vegetables rendered fareasier and more certain in its results.

What I claim is:

1. A means for protecting the rubber washers in canning, consisting of asubstan tially annular device made concave interiorly in cross section,and having its edges provided with a yielding material, for inin crosssection, the edges thereof being bent 10 closing the protruding edge ofthe Washer over double, and a length of fabric having and contactingWater-tight with the surits edges clamped inrplace by said bent over iface of the jar and cap above and below the edges and inclosing both thelatter and one Washer. surface of the metal.

2. A means for protecting the rubber In testimony that I claim theforegoing 15 Washers in canning, comprising a length of invention, Ihave hereunto set my hand this resilient sheet metal curved into asubstan- 20th dav of February, 1920. tial annulus, and made concaveinteriorly Mns. EMILY W. T. MAZARS.

